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The propietor of the Clifftop Boutique Hotel where I was staying told me one of the things I really should do while on Phillip Island is take time to walk ‘The Nobbies.’ Located on the southwest side of the island, the entire point was reclaimed to create a preserve, now home to the second largest penguin colony in Australia, wallaby, koalas, and more (which I’ll write about in another post). At the very end of this preserve lie The Nobbies.

Comprised of an enormous outcropping of knobby rocks, the open ocean meets these geologic wonders with intense force. This harsh bit of nature knocks up against the softest green, rolling cliffs under which the penguins build their nests. It’s a landscape that ignited my senses and made me feel tied to the earth.

I’ve seen many beautiful places around the world and this was in my top five. The Ayung River (which means beautiful woman) in Bali and the Kalalau Trail in Kauai remain the most breathtaking but The Nobbies are stunning in their own right.

I took a picnic and lunched on one of the benches spotted along the path. It was the perfect way to spend an hour or two, reflecting and being mesmerized by the sounds and force of the ocean.

There is one long winding road to get to The Nobbies, with beach access points and lookouts along the way. The views from these lookouts are stunning and are a great place for a couple to spend together on the beach or a family to have a picnic. With winter on its way in March/April there were very few people except me and the die-hard local surfers. It felt like having heaven all to myself with a bit of amusing entertainment.

Just me and the surfers, my thoughts, and the cragged grace of The Nobbies.